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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a singular objective: becoming the greatest quarterback in league history. He accomplished that goal. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into numerous pursuits. He serves as a broadcaster for Fox. He's involved in development ventures in the UK. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's spreading American football to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a popular YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's post-career activities appear either eclectic or unfocused, depending on your viewpoint.

Side projects are understandable. But overseeing a NFL team is hardly a part-time job. In addition to his other roles, Brady functions as the unofficial decision-maker for the Raiders, currently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a decisive loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before meaningless plays in the final period. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a season record for any franchise this season. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered significant gains to a Cleveland offense that has been dysfunctional for most of the campaign. Any way you slice it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to watch. The architect of this current situation was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Series of Dubious Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season guiding the team's personnel choices, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last summer, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the most unwatchable and directionless team in the league.

This wasn't expected to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't hire veteran coach Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a NCAA title, to manage a long slog back up the standings. He was supposed to restore the team to relevance and then transition them with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is staring at the possibility of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Organizational Turmoil

This is not entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through coaches and executives at a rate that would make even the New York Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a turnover rate that has eliminated any clear strategic direction. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider a prominent journalist commented last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to put his stamp on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the key hires and placed the Raiders on this directionless path. He hired a close associate, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He approved a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection for Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a poor-performing O-line. He recruited an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he approved handing a unreliable blocking unit – the foundation for that coordinator and running back – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Outcomes

It's been a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and resilient. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. If nothing else, Carroll was supposed to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, waiting for the plays to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was stark. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the league all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the impressive rookie class that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at RB and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at QB, but who is An Answer in the short-term.

Granted, it was facing the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not too big for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was solid, accepting what the defense gave him and displaying flashes of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his debut game since 1995.

Absence of Direction

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' rookie class represent promise. That's a mirror the Raiders don't want to look into. Good organizations understand their position in the league hierarchy: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season believing they were a few adjustments away from respectability. In spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they haven't pivoted midstream. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be playing rookies to discover what they have for the coming years. But only two rookies have seen real playing time. There has apparently already been tension between the coaching staff and the front office regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have totaled nine catches in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize grizzled vets on the defensive side over young players in need of reps.

Unclear Direction

What is the future direction? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or Smith? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team function when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, approves franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on other projects?

It will prove a challenge for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference stacked with perennial playoff contenders. At the same time, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No foundation. No quarterback. No identity. No plan.

The single factor more dangerous than being ineffective in the NFL is not recognizing you're underperforming. The Raiders don't know where they are, what they are developing, or who will call the shots in the summer.

Tom Brady once excelled at football through intense dedication. The Raiders could use more than an hour of it.